More Powerful: Soft One Shot
by ChristyCat
Summary: Lois is away for a story. Clark and Jason are home alone when Jason’s super hearing develops


This little ditty is my first ever entry for the 12 Days of Clois community on live journal . My word prompt was "soft" and this is what the muse sent...

**Title: **"Soft"  
**Author:** ChristyCat  
**Category:** Movieverse/Superman Returns  
**Prompt:** # 2 Soft  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 1,143  
**Summary: **Lois is away for a story. Clark and Jason are home alone when Jason's super hearing develops.  
Spoilers: If you've seen Superman Returns, you'll be fine. ) If you read More Powerful you'll be even better 

**Author's Notes:**  
The canon I use in this is from my story More Powerful (found on my user page) But it works as a stand alone one shot. If you like what you read here please check out "More Powerful!"

This is my very first clois submittion. I'm really excited to be doing a challenge! I have another one I'm working on for my other prompt but I wanted to get this one up. I had fun writing it. I hope you enjoy reading! 

---------------------------------------------------------

Clark rolled over in bed. Trying to escape the light heralding the morning, he sleepily grabbed a pillow and covered his eyes. He wouldn't last long in his peaceful little cocoon. Even now, the sunlight called him seductively from his slumber. The sunlight played over the bare skin of his torso making every cell vibrate as it soaked in the energy the rays provided.

It had been a long week and he had slept the sleep of the dead. He thrust the pillow off his head, surrendering to the morning's call. He yawned and stretched out all the kinks of the nights rest.

His had automatically reached toward Lois' side of the bed only to find it empty.

It was Saturday and Lois was on a story in London. He and Jason planned to visit her for dinner. Clark's eyes fell drowsily on the clock on the night stand. 8am. What time is it in London? he thought to himself.

"How can a man who flies around the world all day long not have caught on to time zones?" Lois' teasing echoed in his mind.

"When you fly as fast as I do, time zones become kind of a moot point. Plus, a watch doesn't exactly go with my suit." He had retorted. 

Clark grinned at the memory, already looking forward to dinner.

"DADDDDDY!!"

The comfortable silence of the morning was shattered by a distressed cry.

Clark threw the covers off of his legs and was downstairs at Jason's side before they settled back to the mattress.

He found Jason balled up on the floor, his little arms covering his head.

"Jason! What is it?" he picked up the child and sat on the couch. He looked over every inch of him. Nothing appeared to be wrong, but the cries of pain continued uninterrupted by his calls for Jason's attention.

"Stop shouting! Too Loud! Daddy!" The child's eyes were squeezed shut as he frantically trued to better cover his ears.

Realization dawned on Clark as he scooped his son into his arms and headed out the backdoor in one motion.

A quick glance around the surrounding area found it to be disserted and his hurried steps lifted him into the sky. He held Jason close to his chest as they ascended, trying to shield the boy from the forceful sound of the wind their speed generated. When he judged they were at a safe enough distance, he hovered letting the puffy clouds of the morning be their hiding place from whatever eyes might find them. 

He ran his hand soothingly over Jason's hair, murmuring so softly it was barely audible. The boy's cries had simmered to small whimpers, his little shoulders shook as the sobs giving way to hiccups. Slowly Jasons grip on his shirt loosened and he seemed to be calmer.

"It that better?" Clark whispered.

Jason nodded. "I-It was so loud, Daddy," the boy said quietly the recent tears coloring his shaky voice.

Clark kissed the soft hair on the crown of his son's head. "I know, buddy." he rubbed Jason's back comfortingly. "Is this the first time it got too loud?" Jason shook his head. "Does it always hurt like that?" He shook his head again.

"It gets louder every time." His eyes welled with fresh tears. "It hurt."

Clark leaned forward and kissed away a tear that had escaped down the child's cheek.

"You know, when I was your age, the same thing happened to me. My Father and I were sitting on the tractor on our farm and suddenly, it felt like I could hear every sound in the world all at once!"

Jason's eyes lit up. "Yeh! And did your head hurt and hurt?"

Clark nodded. "I cried too. My Daddy picked me up and ran with me all the way to the middle of our cornfield. And he sat and held me and rocked me." 

Jason snuggled closer. "Just like now?"

Clark smiled into Jason's hair. "Just like now." He gave him a gentle squeeze.

"How did you stop it?"

"Well, my Daddy held me for a long time and the field he took me to was nice and quiet, just like here. Then a cricket started chirping right next to me. And my Daddy looked at me and said "Clark, I want you to listen to that cricket" so I listened to the cricket. Then he told me to listen to the bullfrog croaking in the pond behind the field. Little by little I listened to everything thing around us, but I chose what I listened to."

"And it stopped hurting?" 

"Yep. Pretty soon I could hear all the way to into the house. I heard my Mom on the phone talking about what she got me for Christmas!"

Jason giggled in excitement. "I want to pick the sounds!" he exclaimed.

Clark grinned at his son's joy. "Ok!" he shifted Jason onto his hip and raised his hand and started to softly snap his fingers. "Can you hear that?" Clark whispered.

"Yeh!" Jason whispered back.

Clark's eyes scanned the horizon. "You see those birds over there?" 

Jason squinted his eyes. "yeh."

"Are they singing?"

Jason stared intently at the birds. "No. But they sure are flapping loud!" he wrinkled his nose.

"Ok, you pick the next sound. What do you hear?" Jason giggled again, louder this time. "What is it?"

"I can hear Mrs. O'Brien next door talking to her cats. She is telling them about her soap opera."

"Oh yeh?"

"Better them than me. I don't understand half of what she tells me anyways!" Jason closed his eyes in concentration. Suddenly, entire face was lit with excitement. "This is so cool! I can hear Uncle Perry yelling at Jimmy!"

Clark bit the inside of his lip to keep his smile in check as he looked seriously into Jason's eyes.

"You know Jason, there is a lot of responsibility when you can do things other people can't. But I think you are strong and brave enough to handle it right?"

"Right." Jason gave a big nod.

"So let's try to not spy on people. I'll teach you another time how to listen for specific things so you can help people. These things you can do, they are gifts and it's important you respect them." Jason nodded very seriously. Clark smiled. "Ok, let's go home and get changed. We're meeting your mother for dinner in London soon." 

"YAY! London! Can we go see the big watch?" Jason clasped his little arms around Clark's neck.

"Do you mean Big Ben?" A smile tugged at the corner of Clark's mouth. Clark set the course for home. "Hey Jason…promise me something"

"Yeh, Daddy?"

"If you over hear what your Mommy and I are getting you for Christmas…. Act surprised."

The two boys grinned at each other and headed home.


End file.
